


Plant Daddies

by WritewhatIwant



Series: Growing Pains [2]
Category: One Direction, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Awkwardness, Dorky Harry, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Harry is awkward about sex, Harry's bad jokes, Jealous Harry, Liam will be their teacher regardless of the time frame, Louis loves it all anyways, M/M, Middle School, Niall Horan & Harry Styles Friendship, Oblivious Harry, Side Ziall, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Young Harry Styles/Young Louis Tomlinson, Young Love, Young Niall Horan/Young Zayn Malik, Zayn Malik & Louis Tomlinson Friendship, its cute, larry stylinson - Freeform, lol, plant babies, plant life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:34:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24336727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritewhatIwant/pseuds/WritewhatIwant
Summary: Harry and Louis are partnered up for a class project, they have to nurture and care for a small plant for a week. Awkwardness ensues.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan/Zayn Malik
Series: Growing Pains [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1756972
Comments: 10
Kudos: 85





	Plant Daddies

**Author's Note:**

> My all-time favorite kid show is Clarence on Cartoon Network, even as an adult I binge-watch every episode over and over 🙃. So, this oneshot is based on season two episode twenty-six entitled Plant Daddies.

“Alright, class, I thought we could start our plant lesson off with a fun project! I will be pairing you up with another student in the class. It will be your responsibility to take care of a small plant for the entire two weeks that we will be discussing plant life. By the end of this lesson, your plants should be big and strong, and it is worth a hundred points to your final grade.”

Harry hated school projects because he always got paired with someone who made him do all the work or someone who liked him a little _too_ much. He never got paired with Niall, his best friend, or his real crush, Louis. Luckily for Niall, he meshed with everyone, so he never complained about his partners, and Louis, well, Louis always got partnered with Cole Martinez. Harry may only be thirteen, but he knows what a crush looked like, and boy did Cole have a crush on Louis.

Harry couldn’t blame the other boy, I mean, it was Louis after all, the prettiest boy that walked the halls of Davidson middle. Even though he’d confessed his feelings for Louis back when they were in third grade, things were different now. Middle school isn’t the same as elementary, and after summer vacation ended, Louis treated Harry like he didn’t exist. They’d been attached at the hip all through the remainder of elementary, but when seventh grade hit, Louis flipped the script.

Harry was pretty sure Louis liked Cole too, and Cole was everything Harry wasn’t. He was outgoing, athletic, smart, and funny. He had big brown eyes, that seemed to sparkle, and spiky black hair that always looked perfect.

Harry’s hair was in this weird state of straight and curly; he was terrified of barbershops, so he hadn’t had it cut in almost a month. He was super clumsy, and his legs were way too long for his ever-changing body, and he’d tripped over them more than once. His jokes were far from funny they were instead borderline corny. It sucked to have the boy you wanted to spend forever with laughing and joking with someone else.

“Alright, so we’ll go by last names, so when you hear your name, find your partner, and talk quietly about the project.”

Harry tuned out after that, staring at Louis as he laughed with Zayn. Man, how could a person be so beautiful?

“Styles and Tomlinson.”

Harry perked up at hearing Mr. Payne’s words, and his eyes never left Louis’ form wanting to gauge the boy’s exact reaction to being partnered with him for the next two weeks. Louis’ head turned to look at him, and he smiled slightly, adding a wave because he’s awkward. The half-smile he got back in return wasn’t what he’d expected, so he dropped his hand quickly and ducked his head.

“God, he hates me,” Harry mumbled, pressing his forehead against the cool tabletop.

“Uh, are you okay?” The light, airy voice asked from above him.

Harry rose slowly, green eyes peeking through his long strands, “Mhmm. Just…tired.”

“Oh, okay, well, I was thinking we could name him something cute, like Pluto the plant, or Leo, short for Leonardo DeSpecimen.”

“Oh, uh, it-it doesn’t matter to me. I like Pluto a lot.”

“Okay, I’m not giving up my last name, so it’ll be Styles-Tomlinson.”

“O-Okay, whatever you want, Louis.” Harry rushed, sitting up straighter, “Are you sure you don’t want a different partner, you might want to ask Mr. Payne before he makes his like…final decree.”

“Why would I want another partner?” Louis asked, his face full of confusion as he watched Harry fidget.

“Oh, uh, because you looked pretty upset at being my partner. I wouldn’t want you to be…unhappy.”

“I’m happy,” Louis stated bluntly, sitting on the stool next to Harry.

“O-Okay, I’m…I’m happy too.”

“Good to know.”

~

It’s been three days since the start of their project, and Harry had to admit Louis was a good fake dad. He genuinely cared about their plant, and that made Harry care. Growing up an only child doesn’t do much for your nurturing attributes, but Louis, who has three younger siblings, is quite the sight to see.

They did most of their data-keeping and caring for at Harry’s house just because it was much quieter. They wouldn’t have to worry about it slipping into little hands at Louis’ home. Harry felt like his house wasn’t that much better seeing that his dad knew about his enormous crush and would send Harry knowing looks that he prayed to God Louis wouldn’t catch sight of. It was nerve-wracking and had the seventh-grader on edge.

“Harry, are you even listening to me!” Louis scolded, frowning as he watched the boy stare off into space, before turning to him quickly with a sheepish grin.

“Yes, I am…sorry.”

“Okay, so as I was _saying_ that we could move him to a larger pot, and maybe he’ll grow bigger.”

“Okay, whatever you want. Hey! What do you call a plant that roars?”

Louis covered both his eyes, “UGHH! No, Harold!”

“Come on!”

“Fine, what?”

“A dandelion.” Harry smiled large, watching Louis frown at him before bursting into small fits of giggles, you’re a dork.”

“I looked that one up online. I thought…”

“You thought what?”

“You’d like it.”

Louis blushed, looking in the opposite direction, “Eh. It was alright.”

“Good to know.”

~

Cole Martinez was really pissing Harry off. He wouldn’t stop _touching_ Louis, and not like a ‘tag you’re it’ kind of way, but an ‘I wanna do dirty things to you’ type of way. Harry didn’t understand how Cole could be so _sexually flirtatious_ , they were only thirteen, and sex was for adults. He’d only just started masturbating, and he always felt guilty afterward, mainly since most of his fantasies revolved around Louis. Wet dreams that had him hopping into the shower and scrubbing away the evidence as quickly as his hands would allow.

“H-dog, you stare any harder, and you might turn Cole into dust,” Niall whispered, stuffing a mozzarella stick in his mouth,

“That’s what I’m trying to do. He keeps rubbing up against Louis and brushing against his hand. It’s _disgusting_.”

“Not disgusting, bothersome, because it isn’t you.”

Harry’s face of betrayal had Niall rolling his eyes, “I’m not _jealous_ if that’s what you’re implying Horan.”

“It is exactly what I’m implying, and you denying it just proves me even more right.”

“Oh really, how about you getting jealous over Zayn talking to Lisa.”

“That was justified, she had her hands on my man, and that just wouldn’t fly, Zayn’s way too soft-spoken to tell her to back the fuck up,” Niall smiled large, “But I’m not.”

“How is that you two got together before Louis and me? I mean, I _proposed_ to him, and he acts like it never even happened.”

“Maybe he forgot.”

“Maybe, but, I… I thought we…”

“Were a forever thing, and you are. You just need to let your balls drop and ask him out already.”

“Let my balls drop, gross.”

“Hey, I’m just saying, grow a pair and ask him, before Cole asks him first.”

Harry let Niall’s words rest in his head as he watched Louis push Cole in the shoulder, laughing loudly and beautifully.

~

They were in Harry’s backyard, replanting Pluto into a bigger pot. Harry was watching Louis packed the moistened soil down around the green stem, and the urge to confront Louis about his obvious crush on Cole was eating at his insides. He just didn’t see what Louis saw, and he wasn’t trying to be mean, but Cole wasn’t _special_. He didn’t propose to Louis when he was eight.

“Why do you look like you have to poop?” Louis asked eyes squinted because of the glaring sun.

“What! I-I don’t have to poop.”

“I said, why does it look like you do.” Louis was smiling, and it made Harry want to smile too, but he couldn’t get the picture of Cole and Louis laughing together out of his head.

“Do you like Cole?”

“Huh?”

“Cole, in our science class. You’re always hanging out with him and laughing with him and letting him touch you.”

Louis frowned, wiping his hands off on the dirt-stained towel, “First off, you’re not my _keeper_. I can do whatever I want with whoever I want!”

“I-I didn’t mean to sound so…possessive I just…”

“You just what Harry? Wanted to soothe your ego of thinking I could like someone else who isn’t you, even though you have yet to ask me out.”

They were standing, and Harry was so grateful for his growth spurt over the summer because being able to tower over Louis made him feel bigger than he felt.

“How would I know to ask you out when the minute school was back in you avoided me like the plague! You can’t ask someone out who doesn’t talk to you!”

“Oh, whatever, you’re just mad that Cole doesn’t hide the fact that he likes me!”

Harry groaned, pulling on his hair, “I don’t care that he likes you, I care if _you_ like him.”

“I don’t!” Louis rushed over to the patio chair to pick up his backpack and bike helmet, “You’re so oblivious, Styles! I hate that about you sometimes.”

Harry wanted to cry because he didn’t want Louis to leave. They were alone for a little while since his dad was working until five, which was rare. He wanted to spend as much interrupted time with Louis as possible.

“Please don’t go, Lou.”

“Why should I stay!?”

“Because I like you, and I _do_ want to date you, but I didn’t think you wanted that, when I saw you at open house you ran away from me and I…”

“I ran because I had garlic breath. My mom insisted I eat dinner before the open house, and she made spaghetti with garlic toast…”

”Your favorite.”

“My favorite. So, yeah, there you were, and I couldn’t let you talk to me with garlic breath.”

“I wouldn’t have cared, as long as I got to hear your beautiful voice I would’ve been fine.”

Louis smiled, rolling his eyes to hide his evident infatuation, “You’re a sap, Harold.”

“I know, but hopefully your sap.”

“Is this how it’s going to be when we get married? You too scared to ask me, and me too stubborn to do it myself?” Louis questioned, dropping his backpack down to signify his staying.

Harry laughed, locking hands with Louis’ and pulling the shorter boy close, “I’m leaning towards most likely. But hey, it’ll make for a good story for when we have our own real Pluto.”

Louis pulled out of the embrace and smiled up at Harry, “I can’t believe you thought I liked Cole.”

“Hey, I couldn’t help but assume the worst. He’s so much better than me. Much better hair, and from how you laugh with him, I know for a fact he’s funnier.”

“He may be funny, but I’d take your cornball jokes over his any day of the week, and proudly so. Also, I love your hair, it’s wild and unruly.”

“Thanks, Lou, I like you, and I want to go out with you.”

“Good to know.”

Harry hugged him close again, and they spent the rest of the evening catering to their plant baby and holding hands. They didn’t notice Harry’s dad watching from the sliding glass door, already pulling out his phone to snap a picture to tell Louis’ mom and dad the good news.

~

Walking into the quad holding hands was nice, and Harry couldn’t deny that he sought out Cole’s saddened face just to send him a mocking smirk.

“It’s about time you two got your crap in order, more so you Harry than Louis,” Zayn said when the couple was in earshot.

“Heyy, good things come to those who wait.”

“Even if he made me wait five years,” Louis muttered.

“I asked you out in fifth grade at recess, and not only did you say no but you dunked sand over my head.”

“Yeah, cause you asked me when I was hot and sweaty from soccer!”

Niall laughed, “I’m just glad we can finally go on double dates!”

“Me too.” Louis piped up, squishing his body in closer to Harry’s side.

~

Niall and Harry were walking in the lunchline, he glanced over the cafeteria to see if Louis’ class had gotten there yet, but saw they hadn’t.

“Where are you gonna take him this Saturday?”

“My dad agreed to drop us off at Paula’s, Louis loves Italian food, and then he’ll pick us up and drive us to get Italian ice at Rita’s.”

“Nice, Zayn took me to the movies, and then we ate at TGI Friday’s.”

“Should I take Louis to a movie instead?” Harry couldn’t stop the panic that had started to rise.

“Oh goodness, H, I wasn’t trying to freak you out, what you’re doing is perfect. Remember, I’m not Louis.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” He calmed his fleeting thoughts, grabbing a slice of cheese pizza from the rotating tray.

“Are you gonna kiss him?”

The blue tray almost slipped from Harry’s grip as he stared at Niall, “K-Kiss. I…I didn’t…have you and Zayn… _kissed_?”

“Yeah, we kiss all the time, alone, of course, but you should definitely kiss him.”

After paying for their lunches, they sat down at an empty lunch table in the middle of the cafeteria, “Niall, I’ve never kissed anyone in my life. What if I suck.”

“Louis hasn’t either, so you two will suck together. Zayn’s braces cut my lip the first time we kissed, mom wouldn’t quit laughing after she picked me up.”

Harry wanted to ask the blonde more about the art of first kisses, but then Louis was plopping down next to him with a big smile. Anything he wanted to ask was washed away as he stared at the blue-eyed boy next to him.

“I’m so excited about tomorrow, don’t forget my flowers, Harold.”

“I would never.”

~

The date was going so good until it wasn't. Things didn’t start going downhill until they were eating their custards on the bench outside of Ritas. Neither of them had said a word for ten minutes, just quiet eating and staring at the passing traffic.

It was when Harry scraped the bottom of his container that he realized he had no choice but to say something. Louis was eating a lot slower, little cat licks at the frozen treat, eyes closing as he savored each scoop.

“Uh, how’s your custard?”

Louis swallowed and smiled at Harry, “You’re doing that thing where you ask me something that is really not what you want to ask me.”

“I want to kiss you, but I’m nervous it’s going to be horrible, and you’ll break up with me which then will cause me to mourn the loss of the one thing I was confident about in my thirteen years on mother ea—”

Cold lips pressed against his, and Harry’s eyes were expanded so wide he was able to note the light dusting of freckles across Louis’ nose. He pulled back, and watching Louis stare at him in horror had him stumbling over his words.

“N-No, I-I…it’s not that I didn’t like it, I just…I wanted to kiss you first.”

“Seriously?” Louis groaned, standing to dump his melted ice cream in the nearby trash can, “It’s kissing Harold, not a competition.”

“I-I know, but, I…I—”

 _BEEP_.

His dad was here, the date was officially over, and Louis was already advancing to the SUV. Harry focused on the knots forming in the pit of his stomach as he walked a few steps behind. This was no doubt the worst date ever.

~

“So he kissed you, and you pulled away like it was the worst thing ever.”

“It _wasn’t_ the worst thing ever! It was great, and I messed it all up because I thought it wouldn’t be perfect if I didn’t kiss him first.”

“Have you two talked?”

“No, I went over to his house Sunday to apologize, but his mom said that he wasn't feeling too well, and I think that’s why he’s not here today.”

“You should go over there straight after school.”

“I don’t know Ni, maybe it’s best I just—”

“No.” Zayn interrupted, glaring at Harry, “I’ve seen him _cry_ over you, and he’s been on cloud nine since you two starting dating. Go over there and kiss him like a man.”

“Okay, okay. I will.”

When the final bell rang, Harry rushed to his assigned bus. He sat in the front so it wouldn’t take forever getting off, and hoped that he could get there before Louis’ dad got there with the twins and his sister.

The second his house came into view, he sprinted the remainder of the way, unlocking the door and dropping his backpack in the hall closet. Taking his bike from the garage, he peddled as fast as he could to the back of the neighborhood.

There wasn't a car in the driveway, so Harry fist-pumped as he threw his bike to the grass, and made his way up to the front door, he rang the doorbell incessantly.

“Louis. Lou, it’s me! Harry!”

He waited for a minute before letting his hand rise slowly to push the button again, but then Louis was opening the door. Harry went to say what’d he practiced on the ride home, but it all disappeared when his eyes raked over Louis’ body. He was wearing Harry’s orange sixth-grade flag football shirt that Louis had made for him, and black leggings, his tiny feet clad in unicorn slippers.

“Yes, Harold.”

Shaking his head to rid himself of the intrusive thoughts that involved Louis wearing his clothes, he looked back up at Louis’ bored face.

“I'm sorry for the way I acted after you kissed me. I was nervous, and I thought you wanted me to kiss you first, so that’s why I pulled back.”

“I don’t care about who kisses who first, as long as it’s _us_ kissing, I’m happy.”

“Okay. Well, can I try again.”

“Hmmm, I guess.” Louis said nonchalantly, leaned against the doorframe, “Make it quick, my dad will be home in thirty minutes, and I’m not allowed to have guests when I’m here alone.”

“Okay.”

His palms were sweaty, and he felt like he was coming down with a sickness. It wasn’t the kissing that bothered him, it was doing a crappy job at it that ate at his conscious.

“Sometime today.”

Harry thought back to the short youtube video he’d watched on Niall’s phone in gym class. He pulled Louis close by his waist, which shocked the small brunette, and had him blushing up at Harry. Harry smiled and placed Louis chin in the crook of his two fingers. Bending slightly, he pressed their lips firmly together, and after a few seconds of the chaste kiss, they pulled apart. He didn’t have to see the blush to know he had one running all the way up to his neck and on his cheeks. Louis’ own face was rosy, and that made Harry feel good about the kiss they shared.

“Very good Harold, I didn’t think you had it in you.”

“Neither did I, but you’re perfect, so our first kiss can't be anything but that.”

“Good to know.”

**Author's Note:**

> *I have a [Tumblr](https://writewhatiwant22.tumblr.com/) now! Send me messages! However, if it’s anything rude or problematic I will not answer, just an FYI.*


End file.
